Queensland Government announces
7 September 2007
The State government has announced a number of changes to the proposed reform model put forward by the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) in May this year.
The model proposed by the Queensland Water Commission (QWC), was based on the reforms to the electricity industry in the late 1990’s.
The Australian Services Union through the Queensland Council of Unions has been lobbying the State Government to amend the reform model put forward by the Queensland Water Commission.
In the model put forward by the Queensland Water Commission there were to be three (3) bulk water entities under the auspices of the Queensland State Government, in a similar manner to the three (3) main generating companies in Queensland.
Two (2) of these entities were to look after bulk water assets in terms of dams, weirs and similar assets, for example the Mt Crosby facility within Brisbane City Council. With the other bulk entity to look after manufactured water in the form of the Gold Coast desalinisation plant and the western corridor recycling scheme.
The ASU recognises the need for a degree of central control of bulk water assets to ensure a measure of drought proofing, but firmly believes that any move to state government control of these assets should be as a single entity.
In the latest announcement by the state government there is to be two (2) bulk entities, one (1) will look after dams, weirs and other similar assets while the other is to look after the manufactured water assets.
The State Government has also committed to taking over the major transport infrastructure for water. Water reticulation and sewerage pipes will be controlled by a single entity for all of South East Queensland, and wholly owned of local government.
The industry unions have also gained a commitment from the government that:
- Workers entitlements and conditions will be protected
- The reforms will not result in any forced redundancies
- The reforms will not be driven with the aim of making savings on the cost of labour
- And that public ownership of the assets will be maintained.
The State Government has also given a commitment to consultation on the structure of the retailing entities for water; with the maximum number of retailers to be 10 (the same as the number of councils after the local government reform process).
This is a large move from the model that the Queensland Water Commission put forward, where they recommended 3 retailers for all of South East Queensland.
The ASU and all industry unions felt that having only three (3) retailers would result in councils losing a significant amount of revenue, and therefore not only put at risk the employment and conditions of our members in Brisbane Water, but in all of Brisbane City Council.
For those of you who would like to read the Queensland government’s announcement in full we have attached it to this email.
If you have any questions or would like more information on any of the issues please contact ASU organiser Jim Moloney on 3252 8666 or by email on info@qld.asu.net.au .
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